A Workshop on Sequencing Maize Genic Regions to be held on July 1-2, 2001, in St. Louis, Missouri

这次研讨会将集中讨论对玉米基因组的基因片段进行测序的最佳方法，并将为实现这一目标制定一个全面的计划。玉米是禾本科植物中研究最多的遗传系统，在植物发育、基因调控(包括表观遗传学)、抗逆性、转座元件功能和基因组进化等方面具有独特的优势。物理和遗传作图、诱变、反向遗传学、转化和其他分子工具在玉米研究中得到了可靠的应用。然而，玉米作为模式植物物种的持续生产力的一个主要限制是缺乏对玉米基因组的基因内容和排列的全面了解。现在有一些技术可以在短时间内以低成本完成这项任务。因此，获得玉米基因组富含基因区域的完整序列的目标是可行的、有价值的和及时的。研讨会的主要目标将是将高通量基因组测序和分析的专家与了解玉米基因组特性的专家聚集在一起。这个由来自学术界和工业界的科学家以及来自政府机构的观察员组成的小组将讨论玉米基因空间测序的策略。这次研讨会的成果将是对玉米基因组进行测序的全面计划、对所需资源的估计以及行动时间表。本文件将在定稿前分发给更广泛的遗传学和基因组学团体征求意见。还将制定后续活动的时间表。

This workshop will focus on the best approaches to sequencing the gene fraction of the maize genome and will develop a comprehensive plan for achieving this goal. Maize is the best studied genetic system in the grasses, with exceptional strengths in facilitating our understanding of plant development, gene regulation (including epigenetics), stress tolerance, transposable element function, and genome evolution. Physical and genetic mapping, mutagenesis, reverse genetics, transformation, and other molecular tools are reliably employed in maize research. However, a major limitation to the continued productivity of maize as a model plant species is the lack of comprehensive understanding of gene content and arrangement of the maize genome. There are now technologies for accomplishing this task in a short time frame and at low cost. Thus, the goal of obtaining a completed sequence of the gene-rich regions of the maize genome is feasible, worthy and timely.The chief goal of the workshop will be to bring together experts in high throughput genomic sequencing and analyses with experts knowledgeable about the properties of the maize genome. This small group, comprising scientists from academia and industry, and observers from government agencies, will discuss strategies for sequencing the maize gene space. The output from this workshop will be a comprehensive plan for proceeding with sequencing the maize genome, an estimation of the resources required, and a timetable for action. This document will be circulated to the wider genetics and genomics communities for comment prior to finalizing the document. A timetable for follow up activities will also be developed.